


Just Friends

by NewToTheWaywardParty



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, canon-divergent, season 13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 08:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14352051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewToTheWaywardParty/pseuds/NewToTheWaywardParty
Summary: Gabriel just reclines and stares, silence stretching. Then: “Okay, I’m confused. What’s going on here? A lovers’ quarrel?” His brown eyes dart between Dean and Cas.Dean’s shaking his head, protesting too much. “No, no. I mean, we’re just friends.” His smirk twists into a grimace.





	Just Friends

**Author's Note:**

> OK, so…this fic’s different for me. It’s a blatant rip-off of something. I’mma see if you spot it right away. (Narrator: They did.)   
> Anyway, I kept thinking about it and writing is the only way to exorcise these demons. I do need to warn you all about a couple of things.   
> It takes place ostensibly in a season 13 canon-divegent speculative kind of AU place? Like, to get this to work I had to bring Gabriel in. Gabriel, Castiel, and Dean have all just successfully killed Asmodeus. They are at Gabriel’s house, which, just go with it, ok? Sam and Jack are alive and off hunting Lucifer.  
> p.s. I’m sorry if my tags are wrong. I wasn’t kidding about being new to this. Please give me constructive criticism about the writing OR my use of tags

_Clink_ **  
**

Three glasses clash in a toast. “To taking down the man.” cheers Gabriel.

“To taking down the man.” repeat Dean and Cas in relieved unison. Tumblers are chugged. At the bottom, grimaces and gasps as alcohol stings and burns.

“Commie bastards sure know how to make a spirit. Am I right?” the sandy-haired angel says. He sloshes them all another hefty measure.

“Oh, no, no, no. We, we can’t.” Cas pulls his out of Gabriel’s reach. His look to Dean a warning of sorts.

“Yeah, no. No, I’ve got to drive.” Dean’s playing backup to whatever Cas wants, even if his heart’s not in it. Copious vodka and an evening away from Sam and Jack sounds like a damn vacation. Cramped hours behind baby’s wheel sounds like hell to his tired muscles, too.

“Drive?” exclaims Gabriel “What, tonight?”

“Sam and Jack-” protests Cas.

“-would be proud if they knew what you were up to. Just text ‘em, and take my guest room.” cuts in Gabriel smoothly.

Dean looks sideways at Cas. “I mean, do do you want to stay?”

Cas widens his eyes, leans in to Dean. Conspiratorial. “Well, it is pretty late.” he replies.

“Okay.” Dean clears his throat. “Uh, could I use the sofa?” he asks Gabriel, all fake casual. He steeples his fingers in front of him.

Gabriel just reclines and stares, silence stretching. Then: “Okay, I’m confused. What’s going on here? A lovers’ quarrel?” His brown eyes dart between Dean and Cas.

Dean’s shaking his head, protesting too much. “No, no. I mean, we’re just friends.” His smirk twists into a grimace.

Cas is watching this. He turns back to Gabriel, echoing Dean. “Friends.” 

Gabriel throws his head back against the green vinyl recliner. Hysterical laughter barks, harsh, into the tense silence. Dean’s smile runs cold like it’s washed right off his face. Cas’ blue eyes shuttle back and forth between them like he’s watching a ping-pong match, confused.

“You’ve told me a lot of shockers today, but that,  _that_ is the first lie.” Gabriel emphasizes, pointing with his vodka at Dean.

Cas, immediately defensive, leans forward, hands on knees. “It’s not a lie.” he declares.

“No? You’re relatively young,” Gabriel looks at Cas, then amends, “well, at least your vessels are,” He shrugs. “attractive. You’ve got chemistry, history, plus the real shit, shared trauma.” Dean and Cas examine the floor. Gabriel pins Dean with narrow eyes. “Trust issues, am I right? Something to do with your dad.”

Dean spits venom. “What? No, I mean, my dad was-”

“-an asshole.” grounds out Cas next to him. 

Gabriel chugs more vodka. Grins. “Hmm. It is a  _curse_  to see so clearly.” He shifts his aim to Cas. “You, you’re harder to read. Probably, like everyone, afraid of what would happen if you accepted yourself for who you really are and retreated back to the safety of-“

“-Heaven.” It’s Dean’s turn to interrupt, resentment clear.

Gabe’s tone’s wistful. “Oh. Heaven. We like Heaven.”

“Yes.” Cas grits.

“But we don’t love Heaven.” Gabriel laments.

“What? No, we-” Cas sputters. “-I mean,  _I_ do.”

“There it is, ladies and germs, the second lie of the evening.” Gabriel twirls his finger in a lazy circle. Abruptly, he sits up. “So, how’d I do?” Dean and Cas studiously avoid each other’s eyes. “My goodness.” declares Gabriel, crossing his legs at the ankle. “You two are adorable, aren’t you?”

The air lies thick and hot with humiliation.

Gabriel rises. “Listen, there’s a pull-out sofa in my study if you want it.” He climbs the stairs. “But if I were you, I’d cut the bullshit and share the damn bed.” His words echo in the stairwell long after he’s gone.

—————————-  
Cas huffs onto the guest bed, pouting morosely. “Afraid.” he says, scornfully.

—————————

“Trust issues?” scoffs Dean, hunched on the edge of the pull-out sofa. “Trust issues.” he repeats, drumming fingers nervously on his knees.

————————–

Cas flops, frustrated, onto his side, taking the threadbare yellow blanket with him. “ _Retreat?_  I don’t retreat.” His objections ring hollow in his ears.

—————————

Dean falls backward onto the hard bars of the fold-out. “Trust issues? I do not-”

—————————

Cas turns the handle, bravely confronting the living room. He pulls up short. “Hello Dean.” he greets the man entering the room from the opposite direction. 

“Hey.” Dean swings his arms uncomfortably.

“I just, uh, I, I just wanted to say that-” Cas nervously begins.

Dean cuts him off before he can continue, rushing closer. “Oh, no, don’t, I mean, he’s so drunk.”

Cas agrees. “Wasted.”

Dean nods rapidly, off the hook. “Yeah. I mean, what? He sees us for a couple of hours, and he’s got us all figured out?”

“Exactly. Okay, yeah. I feel I’m glad we feel the same way.” Castiel speaks rapidly. Eyes distant.

Dean crosses his arms across his chest. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s fine.” Dean’s grinning like a jack-o-lantern, all teeth and hollow eyes.

The silence smothers the room like a physical thing. It creeps into every crevice, squeezing in every space. It curls around the back of Dean’s neck. It presses on Cas’ chest.

Cas fights the silence for breath; wins enough to murmur, “Uh. So, uh, good night, I guess.”

Dean swallows the silence. “Yeah, um, good night.”

They back away from one another, the quiet pressing in between them again. Cas reaches his door first. He glances back at Dean, but the other man has already turned away. Cas sighs and retreats, clicking the door behind him.

Dean feels Cas’ eyes on the back of his neck. He throws caution to the wind, turns quickly…only to see Cas’ door click shut. Miserable, Dean clicks off the light above the ratty pull-out sofa.

——————————-

Cas sits, back against the wall, yellow comforter over drawn-up knees, staring at the door with intensity for many minutes. Finally, he rises quickly and storms towards the door.

He flings it open in determination and purpose. Pulls up short when he sees Dean is outside, hand raised to knock.

Dean moves into his personal space. Leans down and kisses Cas, quickly, afraid to lose his nerve.

Cas gently pushes his hand against Dean’s arm. Dean stumbles back and they lock eyes. Panting.

Then Cas rushes forward, their hands grabbing one another’s faces as he kisses Dean again, then pulls back just far enough to touch eyes again. A beat. Then.

They crash together, bodies and lips flush. By unspoken mutual agreement, they angle their faces to meet deeper, closer still. Arms wrapped around shoulders. Hands caressing faces. Gentle moans escaping. Dean backs Cas into the room and kicks the door shut.


End file.
